September 28, 2007 - Julie Watson
Hi Everyone!
Well, not only is this my first blog for “In The Loop with iVillage”, it’s my first blog EVER! Here goes…bear with me!
First, let me tell you a little bit about myself and how I wound up in the lucky position of deciding what our three gorgeous hosts will be wearing on the show each day. After sixteen years of working in the fashion industry, and spending my entire professional career living on both the east and west coasts, I moved to Chicago.
At the beginning of 2007 I launched my own business, juliewatsonstyle as a stylist and wardrobe consultant. Not only do I style the hosts of the show, I spend the rest of my waking hours working as a wardrobe consultant for women in Chicago. My job is to teach them how to create their own “collections in their closets”! I apply all of my background in merchandising directly to my client’s closets, and together, we create a wardrobe strategy that takes the stress out of getting dressed in the morning! It’s the BEST of both worlds- I get to do what I LOVE and I’m running my own business in an amazing city (It’s great to finally be “my own boss”!). What more could I ask for?
I can’t tell you how much fun it is to be the stylist for the show- working with Ereka, Kim and Bill everyday is a blast. I’ve really had the chance to get to know all of them, and I can say with heartfelt sincerity that they are just the nicest, funniest (and best dressed! ha ha) people you could ever meet. There’s no such thing as “wardrobe drama” on our show. Everyone is so easygoing and great to work with that it makes my job easy. Look at them- good Lord, they’re all gorgeous- how could styling them every day NOT be a blast?!
My mantra as a stylist and wardrobe consultant is that fashion should be for EVERYONE, not just a select group of people. My goal as the stylist for the show is to make it fun for the viewers, and to let you all know that at the end of the day it’s “just clothes”! Fashion is about feeling GOOD, bottom line. My job is to wardrobe people (the hosts and my clients) in clothes that make them feel good- it’s not about a specific brand or size or anything else- it’s about wearing clothes that flatter you and make you hold your head high! It’s also about trying new things, experimenting, having fun and feeling confident.
As the show’s stylist, I apply my philosophy to our host’s wardrobes every day. And YES- I try to get them to push the envelope as well, to try new looks. Perfect example- Bill’s controversial argyle vest. It wasn’t his favorite, but I loved it (I think we’ve heard about that a few times!) so he gave it a shot, he was a “fashion-good-sport” so to speak! And hey- when your stylist and Tim Gunn BOTH say “it’s FAB-u-lous”…that’s got to count for something, right? Well, Bill and I agree to disagree on the argyle controversy, but I’ve warned him that the Argyle war will continue…it should be a lot of fun! Stay tuned.... :) Speaking of the fabulous Mr. Gunn, can I also say that getting to sit down and chat with him was an experience I’ll never forget. He was so genuinely kind and warm. I can’t say enough great things about him!
Since clothes are really a reflection of a person’s personality, I try to ensure that the hosts’ unique style personalities come through on camera. However, it’s also my job to make sure that the hosts look good “together”. This is definitely the most exciting challenge of my day. I consider their individual aesthetic, and then make sure that their looks really compliment one another from a color perspective. You can easily liken it to walking into a store, and seeing 3 mannequins standing there- perfectly coordinated. Well, those mannequins in the store generally stay put for at least a few weeks. My job is to change the looks every day! WHEW, it can definitely be challenging to say the least, but it’s really so much fun. So, every day I create a specific “color palette” for the hosts looks, to ensure that they all look great sitting on the couches together! The best compliment I can receive on the show is not only “the hosts look great today”, but “the hosts look so great TOGETHER today!”
I’d love to hear what you guys think of what the hosts are wearing, and of course I’m happy to answer any specific questions or comments on any of their outfits- what you liked, where you can get them, what was your favorite outfit for the week, style tips, fit questions- anything! You can e-mail me at info@juliewatsonstyle.com
We work with a lot of great retailers to create our looks for the hosts each week, and the list is getting longer! For Ereka, I can’t thank Jessika and her amazing staff at Intermix on Armitage for all their help with wardrobing her. I had a blast shopping with my new friend Franklin at Jcrew for Bill, and Ashley Stewart has provided so many of Kim’s great looks! A special thanks to all of them! I’m looking forward to hearing from you guys. Until next Friday, have a fun FASHION-FILLED week!
Best, Juliejuliewatsonstyle
info@juliewatsonstyle.com
View my Bio
Comments
Julie - I absolutley LOVE all of the styles you have picked out for the hosts! I am especially in love with all of the cute dresses you are putting on Ereka! WOW! So adorable!
I would like to sponsor your host some clothing to wear on the show. Let me know if we could set up a meeting?
To check out my collection, www.cyndichan.com
Ori'en by Cyndi Chan and my number 312.670.7023
